BMJ 1995;311:1042 (21 October)

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Research council calls for audit of children of thalidomide victims: Dr Nigel Brown of the Medical Research Council has called for a global audit of children born to thalidomide victims. He says that available evidence suggests that the defects cannot be passed on, although the Thalidomide Action Group UK says that nine children born to victims have similar deformities to their parents.

Health unions vote for government pay offer: The 325000 members of Unison have voted by 82% in favour to support the agreement with the government to negotiate local pay with guarantees of a national minimum rise. The union said that 472 trusts had offered 3% or more.

WHO warns of rodent borne diseases in Bosnia: The WHO has reported that several rodent borne diseases are prevalent in local troops and civilians in Bosnia and advises doctors to be aware of the possibility of infections in soldiers and aid workers returning from former Yugoslavia, particularly Bosnia, who present with fever of unknown origin.

US Supreme Court upholds access to abortion clinics: The US Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. The law was a response to more than 1000 acts of violence at abortion clinics between 1977 and 1993. The court let stand a federal appeals court decision upholding the access law and rejected the appeal of 108 antiabortion protestors who received jail sentences, fines, and probation for violating a judge's order protecting a beleaguered clinic in Florida in 1993.

Black nurses agree pounds sterling35000 settlement in race dispute: Five black nurses who accused Coventry Healthcare NHS Trust of racism have agreed a pounds sterling35500 settlement. Ten white and 10 black staff were interviewed to fill nine vacancies, which were all filled by white applicants. The five black nurses claimed the interview procedure was rigged.

More Irish women will be screened for breast cancer: Half of all women between the ages of 50 and 64 in the Republic of Ireland will be invited to take part in the first phase of a national breast screening programme by the beginning of 1996, at a cost of pounds sterling1m.


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